Brought to you from the Kyalite Hotel as part of our Mallee Research Update roadshow, we catch up with Research Agronomist Michael Moodie and Field Development Officer with Nufarm, Dave Keetch.
Michael discusses the latest fleabane management trial results from the Area Wide Management of Weeds project and Dave talks about the soon to be released 2,4-D product Dropzone which will provide additional safety for growers when summer spraying weeds.
This podcast was proudly supported by Western Local Land Services and the New South Wales Government’s Environmental Trust and the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment as part of the R&D for profit program in partnership with GRDC, the Cotton RDC and AgriFutures Australia.Â
We catch up with Chris Preston in Mildura as part of the Area Wide Management of Weeds project. Glyphosate resistance has been identified as a key issue when managing highly dispersive weeds and taking a ‘good neighbour’ approach to weed management has been identified as a key practice to getting on top of highly dispersive weeds.
In the Sunraysia region we are focusing on fleabane, ryegrass and sow thistle control and the tactics that can help support broadacre cropping and horticultural producers to get on top of these weeds.
This project is supported by the Australian Government’s Rural R & D for profit program with co-investment from the Grains Research Development Corporation and the Cotton Research Development Corporation.Â
On this episode host Tanja Morgan is joined by Matt Strmiska, Consultancy Lead with EE Muir Sons who hails from Fresno, California.
Matt has spent a decade of his career working with some of the largest horticultural growers in the region to minimize pesticide use by applying knowledge practically.
In this episode, Matt speaks about his experience with area-wide pest management in the United States and the long-term benefits.
Non-phenoxy options for use with optical sprayers in summer fallow
Location: Yatpool, Victoria.
Phenoxy herbicides are at high risk of causing off-site damage to susceptible crops such as horticulture, therefore Sunraysia farmers are extremely cautious when using such phenoxy herbicides which is to the detriment of weed control.
We have compared six products registered for use in optical sprayers to investigate alternative herbicides to phenoxy products. Treatments were applied at 100 L/Ha with very course droplets. The weed spectrum at this site was Sow Thistle, Lesser Sow Thistle and Paddy Melons.
Documented are 360 degree split-view tours of each treatment plot visualising a comparative of pre-spray in the left viewer and three weeks post spray in the right viewer. The tours are accompanied by still images captured of weeds at three weeks post-treatments for each plot.
This trial was established on Tuesday December 15, 2020.
Treatments
Active Ingredients
Crucial 4L/ha
CRUCIAL @ 4.0 L/ha (600g/L glyphosate)
Biffo 10L/ha
BIFFO @ 10.0 L/ha (200g/L glufosinate-ammonium)
Amicide Advance 700 at 4.8L/ha
AMICIDE ADVANCE 700 @ 4.8 L/ha (700g/L 2,4-D present as the dimethylamine and monomethylamine salt)
Amitrole T at 8L/ha
AMITROLE T @ 8.0 L /ha ( 250g/L Amitrole + 220g/L Ammonium Thiocyanate)
Alliance 4L/ha
ALLIANCE @ 4.0 L /ha (250g/L amitrole + 125g/L paraquat as dichloride)
Crucial has shown to be the most effective treatment within the trial demonstrating fast brown out within 2 – 3 weeks. Biffo has also displayed strong results, although a little bit of green at the base of the plants is visible in the still images below but mostly browned out after the 3 week post spray period. Eventually Amicide Advance gave total weed control across the trial plot but took additional time to work than Crucial and Biffo treatments. Generally poor level of control displayed within the Amitrole T. Suppression but no death of the paddy melons. Sow thistle in this plot is hard to differentiate from the control as the control as the control was maturing and browning out naturally. Possible suffered from contact issues with the direction of travel clearly evident in sow thistle with brown down the front of the plant but some green plant remained on the back of the sow thistle. No control evident of paddy melon with this treatment. Similarly, to Alliance where droplet contact point is visible but not total control of the whole plant. Hard to reconcile against the excellent job of crucial on its own, although half the rate applied.
Untreated Control
Treatment: Crucial 4L/ha
Crucial has shown to be the most effective treatment within the trial demonstrating fast brown out within 2 – 3 weeks.
Treatment: Biffo 10L/ha
Biffo has also displayed strong results, although a little bit of green at the base of the plants is visible in the still images below but mostly browned out after the 3 week post spray period.
Treatment: Amicide Advance 700 at 4.8L/ha
Eventually Amicide Advance gave total weed control across the trial plot but took additional time to work than Crucial and Biffo treatments.
Treatment: Amitrole T at 8L/ha
Generally poor level of control displayed within the Amitrole T. Suppression but no death of the paddy melons. Sow thistle in this plot is hard to differentiate from the control as the control as the control was maturing and browning out naturally.
Treatment: Alliance 4L/ha
Possible suffered from contact issues with the direction of travel clearly evident in sow thistle with brown down the front of the plant but some green plant remained on the back of the sow thistle. No control evident of paddy melon with this treatment.
Similarly to Alliance where droplet contact point is visible but not total control of the whole plant. Hard to reconcile against the excellent job of crucial on its own, although half the rate applied.
Acknowledgments This project is supported through funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources as part of its Rural R&D for Profit program and the Grains Research and Development Corporation and the Cotton Research and Development Corporation.
Herbicide spray application using Modern Optical Spot Sprat Technology (OSST) applying alternative knockdown treatments registered by Nufarm.
Acknowledgments This project is supported through funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources as part of its Rural R&D for Profit program and the Grains Research and Development Corporation and the Cotton Research and Development Corporation.
This project is supported through funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture as part of its Rural R&D for Profit program and the Grains Research and Development Corporation and the Cotton Research and Development Corporation.
Split screen virtual tours displaying Fleabane pre treatment and two weeks post treatment for comparison
Observations
University of Adelaide, Professor of weed management Chris Preston gave the following recommendations for spraying weeds at a recent Dried Fruits Australia Crop walk in November.
• Expensive treatments work but don’t need to be used all the time. They can be used strategically to stop seed set particularly with ryegrass. • Consider a cover crop in the interrow to compete with weeds that will help to reduce the build up of weed seeds in the system. • Small weeds are easier to manage than large weeds – spray early to target small weeds even if it means one more control may be required. This will help with long term weed management. • Get your application right – make sure water rates are not too high so as not to dilute the surfactant that is sprayed with glyphosate as diluting the surfactant will give a poorer result. • If you can’t reduce the water rate consider increasing the surfactant in the mix to improve the efficacy of glyphosate.
Fleabane
Untreated
Move the slider left and right or rotate view to see before and after
UntreatedUntreatedUntreated
Glyphosate 540: 2 L/ha
Move the slider left and right or rotate view to see before and after
Glyphosate 540: 2 L/haGlyphosate 540: 2 L/ha
Glyphosate + Cavalier -75 ml/ha
Move the slider left and right or rotate view to see before and after
Acknowledgments This project is supported through funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources as part of its Rural R&D for Profit program and the Grains Research and Development Corporation and the Cotton Research and Development Corporation.
This project is supported through funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture as part of its Rural R&D for Profit program and the Grains Research and Development Corporation and the Cotton Research and Development Corporation.
Split screen virtual tours displaying Ryegrass pre treatment and two weeks post treatment for comparison
Observations
University of Adelaide, Professor of weed management Chris Preston gave the following recommendations for spraying weeds at a recent Dried Fruits Australia Crop walk in November.
• Expensive treatments work but don’t need to be used all the time. They can be used strategically to stop seed set particularly with ryegrass. • Consider a cover crop in the interrow to compete with weeds that will help to reduce the build up of weed seeds in the system. • Small weeds are easier to manage than large weeds – spray early to target small weeds even if it means one more control may be required. This will help with long term weed management. • Get your application right – make sure water rates are not too high so as not to dilute the surfactant that is sprayed with glyphosate as diluting the surfactant will give a poorer result. • If you can’t reduce the water rate consider increasing the surfactant in the mix to improve the efficacy of glyphosate.
Ryegrass
Untreated
Move the slider left and right or rotate view to see before and after
UntreatedUntreatedUntreated
Glyphosate 540: 2 L/ha
Move the slider left and right or rotate view to see before and after
Acknowledgments This project is supported through funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources as part of its Rural R&D for Profit program and the Grains Research and Development Corporation and the Cotton Research and Development Corporation.
